Singer 7-5 needle/feed dog plate

[MariaMS]

The Singer 7-5 I'm working on had a feed dog plate I thought was past rescuing, so I made up a set from wood.  I'm going to have a try to making one from 3mm MS today but I'm not sure my skills are up to the task..... does anyone happen to have, or the skills to draw up a laser cutting file for these?  I do have my Verniers  to do a measure up if my "drill holes and wear out a few files" approach is a complete failure..... at least this time around I know to get the plate fitting at the screw holes first up, and THEN mark the needle hole!! Then again, maybe I need to beg some lessons on how to use the milling machine.....hmmm that could be a fun learning curve!!

[sandmanred]

If it can be dismantled it's possible it can be saved.  Once it's all cleaned up you can better assess the condition.  If there's wear or corrosion severe enough a there's a chance a person with a TIG welder could build up the worn area.  Then recreate the grooves.  Filing is a not out of the question.  I'd look for the triangular shaped files used to sharpen handsaws.  With some clever clamping you could probably guide the file to create uniform spacing in the teeth.

[MariaMS]

2 hours ago, sandmanred said:

If it can be dismantled it's possible it can be saved.  Once it's all cleaned up you can better assess the condition.  If there's wear or corrosion severe enough a there's a chance a person with a TIG welder could build up the worn area.  Then recreate the grooves.  Filing is a not out of the question.  I'd look for the triangular shaped files used to sharpen handsaws.  With some clever clamping you could probably guide the file to create uniform spacing in the teeth.

it isn't the dogs that are the issue, they cleaned up fine..... it is the plate that covers them that I'm wanting to make a new one.  The other was so rusted I thought it couldn't be saved, so cut it off to gain access to the hook assembly.  Rewelding it could be a possibility if I still have the other bits perhaps, currently I only have the ends with the screw holes.

[sandmanred]

I missed your point, got it now. 

If you can get plate of the same thickness it shouldn't be too hard to cut the outside to shape.  Then you could drill the corners of the cut out for the feed dog and use a jewelers saw to cut the waste away and clean up the corners with a file.  

[MariaMS]

We managed to get a plate roughed out, but the needle hole looks closer to the inside edge than it should be, which could be to do with the feed dog adjustments.  I noticed today there is a slight slop sideways, so I will have a go at adjusting them slightly further left, which would give more metal between the edge of the plate and the needle hole.  2 questions, what size is the needle hole usually, and does anyone have a plate they could measure up for me?  it would make a repeat plate a bit quicker to make.....

[catskin]

Plate looks VERY MUCH like the one on my Adler 20-2 see if you can find one of them to try.  I was told that quite a few parts are interchangeable. IF that is true it might get you what you need.  I don't have a spare or would offer it to you.  I could measure if you post measurements and tell you if it is the same.

[MariaMS]

1 hour ago, catskin said:

Plate looks VERY MUCH like the one on my Adler 20-2 see if you can find one of them to try.  I was told that quite a few parts are interchangeable. IF that is true it might get you what you need.  I don't have a spare or would offer it to you.  I could measure if you post measurements and tell you if it is the same.

Gordond helped me out and sent this (see "Singer 7-33 under restoration for the whole thing - I couldn't change the title, but it shows my rescue of the 7-5).  I'll look up the Adler plate.  This machine takes a 7x1 needle, is that the same as your Adler?

 

[catskin]

I will measure the plate and post the measurements in  thousandths of an inch since I don't have a metric micrometer.